Episode 501
by Cheetafang
Summary: Just as the mutants finally think they've got a break after their adventure in Mexico, there's more drama. Lancitty and Romy especially mentioned.
1. The Mansion

Things have been really quiet between Lance and Kitty. Ever since the incident at the parking lot, they were both too hurt too say anything. Even though Lance had been there for Kitty in Mexico, they were both too shy to say anything.

The X-men, the Brotherhood, everybody was on the X-Jet on their way back to Bayville. Space was limited so Lance sat in the corner of the jet with Kitty's head on his lap. She had fallen asleep. I didn't matter if she was anyway, she was barely conscious when Lance helped her onto the plane. He wanted to talk to her. But she was so tired and he was happy enough just looking at her.

"Hey Bub!" Lance heard. It was Wolverine. Logan wasn't even looking at him, only straight out the window in the other direction. "If you try any funny business-", he was stopped by Storm who put her hand in front of his face and then directed his eyes to Lance and Kitty.

Lance had looked up at Logan out of fear. But then he didn't care. He put his head right down had started to pet Kitty's hair.

"Hmph" Logan said. He then knew that Lance was going to be of no harm. He started to let out a small smile. When he was discovered by Lance getting soft, he immediately dropped his smirk at turned away. Now it was Lances turn to smile.

Everybody was quiet. It seemed like the only one who wasn't there was Mystique. Nobody really cared though. Especially not Rogue or Kurt. But they knew they'd see her again soon.

The ride seemed long for some, like the Professor, but oh so short for others, like Lance.

When they arrived in Bayville they landed in the institute. Everyone walked out and they basically stayed where they usually were. Magneto alone, the x-men together, and the Brotherhood to the side. Those like Pyro and Gambit stood alone. Everybody was with their own clique. Except Lance. He continued to hold Kitty, knees dangling in one arm, neck and back resting on another. He was standing next to Rogue and Kurt.

Jean set the professor down on the Fountain as he began to announce, "Everyone, you are welcome to stay here. Lance," the professor turned his head towards him, "you are welcome to stay especially if you wish to be near Kitty" Lance simply smiled.

"Now as I was saying your all welcome, I understand if you wish to go back to your own homes. But remember, the institute will always be here for you."

"Wait a minute" Kurt shouted. "Where is everyone?"

"What dya mean?" Rogue asked, "Where all here."

"No, I mean, where's the huge angry mob?!"

Everyone started to talk out of confusion.

"Yeah, what happened?"

"Is it finally over?"

"This is getting kinda weird"

The noise was getting Wolverine a bit on the grumpy side. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" Everyone got quiet. "If you all don't pipe down on your own, I'll pipe you down for ya!"

After that little announcement every got quiet. Though, Lance was still amazed at how Kitty could sleep through this. This got him suspicious. He put the back of his hand on her forehead. She was burning up.

"Professor!" Lance shouted. "Kitty has a fever"

Logan walked up to Kitty and confirmed her illness. "Kid's right. She needs to get to bed pronto."

"All right" Charles said, "Kurt, take Kitty and Lance to her room, the building is locked. Make sure she gets everything she needs. That includes water, a compress, everything."

"Got it"

Kurt got to Lance and Kitty and teleported them straight to her room.

"You vetch her, OK? It'll be quicker if I go get everything she needs" Kurt teleported right back out of the room.

Lance set her down onto her bed. Suddenly he saw her mouth move. "L-lance?"

"Shhh," he said, "save your energy"

She smiled, "Lance I hope you didn't mean it."

Lance got a very confused look on his face.

"About the day at the parking lot. And, I'm sorry about that. Ya know, when I said you were nothing but a hood."

"I dunno. With the lifestyle you've lived and the one I've lived, it seems like I'm not good enough for you." Even though he said the same thing he said that he said that on day, it had a diferent meaning. Last time it was out of anger and spite, but now, it was like he really felt like it was his fault. Like he wasn't good enough and he never would be.

"Don't say that Lance."

"Kitty-" he stopped when he realized she was in pain, pain worse than a fever. "Kitty what's wrong?"

"My ankle, I think it's twisted."

POOF

"Keety! Are you OK?" Kurt asked.

"No, my ankle, it could be twisted.

Kurt let out a big sigh and poofed out, getting more supplies.

"Lance, if it's anything I'm probably not good enough for you. I mean, I barely give you chances."

"No Kitty, if I had really tried to gain your trust, then I wouldn't have agreed to Duncan's plan. I really only wanted to fight Summers, nobody else."

"Lance…"

"And I'm back!" Kurt announced.

This little event caused Kitty to get frightened and she phased half way through the bed.

"Ugh!"

She pulled herself up, but this made her ankle swell up even more somehow. Immediately Kurt and Lance started to tend to her.


	2. New Endings, New Beginings

_Back outside the mansion…_

"Now back to the mob" Logan said.

"What happened?" Rogue demanded.

Gambit them stepped forward "Yes, I find it very unlikely that they just left. No one in 'dis town gives up so easily."

"You're right" The professor replied. "Something must have happened. Something big."

"Now to figure out what" said Wanda.

"Yes" the professor thought for a moment. "We shall think about that in a while. For now I think it's time for us to get some rest."

Everyone basically went their separate ways. Except Remy, he followed Rogue. "Where do you think you're goin?"

"With my dear chere of course."

"Wiz meh dear sheerie, of coourse." Toad mocked.

"Heh heh, yeah" the Blob replied, "mwah mwah!"

As the two Brotherhood boys continued to mock him, Remy kneeled down, grabbed a handful of gravel and tossed it at them. The gravel exploded and caused the two run away "Remy did not feel like wasting valuable cards on them." Rogue supplied a smile as her only response.

"Well Gambit" the professor announced, "if you wish to stay, then you are welcome."

"Speak for yourself" Logan muttered.

_Back in the mansion_

Ororo's voice is heard, "oh my!"

Oh my was right! The mansion was trashed. Furniture was knocked over, the lights pulled to the ground, and spray paint all over the walls. Everywhere though the paint's message was seen.

We don't want you!

Leave Bayville!

FREAKS!

Everyone appeared in shock. "All right," the professor announced, "what's happened is a terrible tragedy. But it's isn't unfixable. For now, we should all get some rest. Rogue, can you direct Lance and Gambit to a room? I'm sure they don't mind sharing."

"No prob, ca mon frenchie"

"Ah, it must be Gambit's lucky day"

"It'll be even luckier when you shut your trap."

Rogue walked up to her/Kitty's room. "C'mon lover boy, I gotta show ya to your room."

Lance looked back down at Kitty, she smiled, he got up and walked up towards the door. "Lance?" He turned his head around. "I- I really am sorry." Lanced sighed, then walked back towards Rogue and Gambit.

"Is she gonna be all right?" Rogue asked.

"Yeah, she twisted her ankle."

"Well…" Rouge pointed to a room, "this is where ya'll are gonna be stayin"

"You do know I'm probably only gonna stay a while right?" said Lance curiously.

"Hmph, if it's anything like last time, you'll be gone by morning."

"Till tomorrow chere"

Rogue slammed the door and mad Gambit and Lance skip a beat. Lance sat on a bed and took a long sigh.

"What's wrong, monsieur?" Gambit asked curiously.

"You're the ladies man, how come you don't already know."

"Ok, let me guess, some problems with you chere, Kitty?"

"How could you have known?" He asked sarcastically.

"And, they have something to do with…" Gambit took a moment to think, "Ah! The parking lot incident!"

"Now explain how you know that."

"Trust me, Gambit ain't the only one who knows, everybody does."

"So, Mr Perfect, what would you do if you were where I am?"

"Well to be honest" he took a quick chuckle, "Gambit don't think he'd eva be that stupid"

"You tryin to start something?!" Lance shouted.

"Hold your horses now, Gambit was only tryin' to state his opinion."

Lance took a deep breath from giving up, then out of anger, balled his fists together and slammed them on the bed. As soon as he did the whole mansion took a big shake. Then, because he was tired, he collapsed on the bed.

"Well I'm gonna grab something to eat, come down if you wanna." Gambit said as he left.

Lance groaned. "I'm no good at relationships.

Rogue walked into their room. "Kitty, are you a right?"

Kitty pushed herself up. _No I am no, just say no! I don't know if Lance and I will ever be okay! _"Yeah," she lied.

"What about you and Lance?"

_Was it THAT obvious? _"What are you talking about," she asked, effortly trying to make it seem like she truly had no idea.

"Anyone can tell." Rogue walked up to Kitty and sat down beside her.

"It's just…" Kitty started to cry, "I thought he liked me. Then at the parking lot, he tried to hurt me, he tried to hurt all of us!" Kitty continued to cry She buried her head in her hands.

POOF

"Keety!" Kurt appeared so quickly both Rogue and Kitty were close to jumping. " I got you more pillows. We need to elevate you ankle." He took a moment to look at Kitty, "what's wrong?"

Rogue look up at him, "just some… boy trouble."

"Oh," he quickly replied. "Well if you need anything, just tell me."

"Don't worry Kurt" Kitty said, "I'll be okay."

"All right" He left quickly.

"Kitty," Rogue said, "go to sleep, you need to relax."

Kitty pushed herself down and started to fall asleep. At that moment Gambit slowly opened the door. "Chere, would you like to join me for some lunch?"

She looked at Kitty, "sure, why not?"

Rogue got up and followed Gambit trying to make as little noise as possible. As they walked down the hallway Gambit put in an effort to put his arm around her. "Don't even try." He immediately dropped his arm to his side. His at one point smile cam closer to a frown.

Behind them, without their consent, Lance sneaked up to Kitty's room. He opened the door. He was both happy and sad to see her. Happy because, well, he was almost always happy to see her. But, well, after the parking lot incident, he seemed to purely be depressed. And when she asked for help in the fight in Mexico. _I tried to shut the door on her! How could I? She was always trying, and I never really did. _He sat down on Rogue's bed and watched her. She seemed at peace.

He took a breath, ran his fingers through his hair, and let his breath out. _I'm no good for her. It'd probably be best if she never even met me_. And for the third time he said, "I'll never be good enough."

In the Kitchen

"Oh," Rogue sighed, "it's like I haven't eaten in days." She took another big bite of her sandwich.

"So," Gambit asked, "does Chere like her meal?"

"Just can it," she said quietly. "It's a darn sandwich, not fillet minion."

"That can be dinner if you wish…"

Rogue had a quick laugh. This only confused Gambit. "Ya know," she said, "this is the first time we ate together where you didn't kidnap me."

"Hey!" Gambit cried, "Gambit thought he explained himself."

"A kidnappin is still a kidnappin." She took another bite. "You're just lucky I didn't go and tell Logan what happened."

"If you did, Gambit probably wouldn't be here right now," Gambit announced flatly. "So, what would it take to get a lovely Chere like you out for dinner?"

Rogue looked at him, eyeing his wide smirk, "ya should know by now that you're not taking me on no dates."

"Ah, but who said it would necessarily be a date? Why can't it be two friends eating out? We know that we all need a day out from time to time."

"Hey, if I say yes, will you shut your trap?"

"Oui."

"Then count me in." She took the last few bites of her sandwich and then told him, " I'm going to go to sleep."

"Tomorrow at eight then?"

But Rogue just walked away.


	3. Discovery

"So is your place trashed?" said Kitty. She laid her eyes straight on Lance while they were the only two in his room. "I heard you talking to Pietro. So what's going on at your place?"

Lance groaned and sat up from his bed, "Nothing there. Probably everyone who went there to trash it thought that someone managed to get there first." He smiled. "I guess we're just lucky that way."

"Right…Lance-"

"No, I don't want to talk about it."

Kitty was confused, "You didn't even here me. I-"

"It doesn't matter. I'm leaving today."

"I know that, you were only staying in the mansion for a little while. We all knew that."

"That's not what I mean." His voice was caught; he didn't know how to tell her. "Kitty, when I say I'm leaving I mean I'm leaving. For good."

"Lance I don't understand." She walked towards him.

He decided not to waste his time anymore. "I'm leaving all of this, Bayville, the brotherhood. Everything. I'm going to pretend I don't even have these stupid powers."

Kitty was scared. He's leaving? "But everyone has seen you, they'll recognize you in a moment.

"No they won't. If I cut my hair and get a new outfit, It'll be like I'm a whole new person."

Kitty then sat on the bed right next to him. She looked right into his eyes. "Lance, you can't just runaway from your problems."

"Why not? I have no one here to care about me."

"That's not true. You know that."

He looked up at the ceiling. "Oh yeah, name one!"

Kitty looked down at her feet and became really quiet. "Me."

His eyes widened. He didn't know what to say. I truly didn't expect that answer. "I can't keep doing this Kitty. I can't stand on and off relationships. I'm sick of this!"

Kitty's eyes then watered, out of both anger and sadness. "Fine!" She stood up and walked to the door. "If that's how you feel, then leave for all I care. Obviously I mean nothing to you." She phased through the door.

Waiting in the hall Kitty collapsed. Her ankle was in pain again but she didn't care. She just wanted to rest and forget the conversation happened.

In Rogue and Kitty's room…

Rogue was brushing her hair and experimenting with make up. _Wait a sec. What the heck am I doing? Why do I give a crap how he thinks I look tonight? Not like he's staying. Wouldn't even matter, can't get close to anybody no how. _

**Everybody. Please come to the garden. I have an announcement to make.**

Rogue sighed and left her room.

In the garden…

"Everybody, you all know how I have an announcement to make. Gambit." The professor made a motion for Remy to come forward. He did. "Gambit has something to say."  
"Gambit don't know how to say this any special way but. Gambit's decided to stay."

Everyone started to mumble.

"Professor," Cyclops stated, "he's one of Magneto's most faithful henchmen. How can you even consider-"

"Scott, calm down. I don't need to read his mind to figure out that he is truthful about his decision. Anyway, danger room at three. We can't slack off."

"So is Gambit gonna get one of 'does fancy x-men uniforms?"

"Maybe later. Right now we're a little short." Wolverine grumbled.

Three o'clock in the danger room…

"Hey 'dis be Gambit's first day here. Go easy on him, 'kay?"

Wolverine crouched down and unveiled his claws, he prepared for anything that the danger room could throw at him. "Ain't gonna happen."

The session was more than Gambit expected. Only 30 minutes had passed, but it seemed like hours. And this is were they ended up. In a thick metal box, maybe 8x8x8 feet. They were all cramped. Gambit, Wolverine, Rogue, Kitty, Scott, Kurt, and Jean.

"Kay, Kurt and I can take it from here." Kitty announced. She grabbed Jean and Scott's wrist as they phased through the wall with ease. Kurt grabbed Rogue and Wolverine and teleported out of there.

"Sure, forget about Gambit."

Just as he finished Kitty ran back in. She grabbed his hand and ran for the wall.

**THUMP**

Kitty was scared. She didn't phase through the wall. _Weird._ She let go of Gambit and ran for the wall. She phased through the wall easily. She ran back in and grabbed Gambit, and for the second time, ran for the wall.

**THUMP**

"What the…" Kitty mumbled. Kurt then poofed in.

"Keety, what's taking so long?"

"I can't phase when I hold onto Gambit."

Kurt then grabbed Gambit and tried to teleport. Nothing happened. "Vierd."

The danger room then de-activated. The box disappeared.

The professor then buzzed in. "Team, I need to tell you something I discovered about our newest member.

Xavier then wheeled his way into the danger room along with Beast.

"After watching Gambit's performance Hank has figured out what is going on with him."

Hank cleared his voice. "Gambit obviously has powers besides his ability to make things, well, explode. After observing his tactics in the room I have come to a conclusion. Gambit powers also give him amazing abilities of strength and balance. He also was born with the ability to easily control his central power. This caused what happened with Kitty and Kurt."

"Wait wait," Gambit said, "Gambit don't understand."

"As time went by your powers grew. And now, with such controlled power at such a high level, you can cancel out anyone's power as long as you can come into contact with them."

Cyclops was spectacle of Hanks observation. He grabbed Gambit and removed his goggles. He was scared, but he then opened his eyes. Nothing happened. His eyes were bare. Nothing but brown.

Jean walked up to him and stroked his face. "This is amazing." He said, "I've never been able to see everyone without an amber shade."

"Sorry to burst your bubble Cyclops. But Gambit need 'ta get his own space.

Cyclops put his goggles on again. "Of course."


End file.
